Annunciator system



Aug. 16, 1938. A. PARLETT 2,127,343

' ANNUNCIATOR SYSTEM Original Filed Oct. 3, 1929 7T zfi- Elba Fl FEFZEZIi y H 1 UPI-15y.

Patented Aug. 16, race ANNUNCKATOR SYTEM Albert Parlett, Chic-ago,

lllL, assignor to Kellogg Switchboard and Supply Company, Chicago, Kilt,a corporation of Illinois Original application 391,030. Divided and1936, Serial No. 11,673

Gctober a, 1929, Serial No.

this application May 4,

3 (Claims. (Ci. iii-311) My invention relates to annunciator circuitsand more particularly to such as are used in electric systems and powerstations or the like for announcing the occurrence oi accidental orundesirable conditions in such systems. A device oi this type, however,is applicable to many other uses.

When in a central station, or other electric line is accidentallygrounded, or a short circuit occurs, or a bearing becomes hot, or amachine accidentally stops, or any other unusual occurrence happens itis desirable to inform the attendant immediately of such occurrence. Forthe purpose of performing this function I have arranged a simple but aneilicient system comprising a combination of electric signal lamps,alarm bell, relays, and sources of electric current, the said signallamps and alarm bell being lighted and actuated by an initial electriccurrent arising whenever any of the above mentioned or other conditionsoccur, and adapted to be controlled and tested from a central location.My device may be used in general to give a warning of any changedcondition.

An object of my invention is to provide means whereby any occurrencewhether accidental or intended which can be adapted to give rise to anelectric current or to raise an electric current to an operative valuethrough'the medium of contacts, relays, thermostatic couples, and thelike, can be brought to the attention of the attendants.

Another feature of my invention is the provision of means for checkingthe soundness of the individual lamps in an annunciator system having aplurality of such lamps. I

This application is a divisional of my application for U. S. LettersPatent, Serial No. 397,030, filed October 3, 1929, now abandoned.

The above features as well as others not specifically pointed out aredescribed more in de-= tail in the ensuing specification anddiagrammatically illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which 2 isa contact which is closed when an abnormal condition arises, 3 and 4 arerelays the last of which is a. copper sleeved starting relay, whosewinding communicates electrically with, the contact.2 through the mediumof an armature contact 5 of relay 3. 6 and l are electric lamps adapted.to be lighted through the lnstrumentality of the relays 3 and l. 8 is anelectric bell capable of being set in motion by the operation of relay4. Lamp 1 and bell 8 may be common to the system. A pair of relays 3 and4 may be provided for each contact 1; such as system, an

relays 3 and i associated with contact 2'. S and it are switches in theform of keys whose runctlon is to reset the lamps and the cell at thewill of the operator after they have been lighted and set in motion bythe closing of a 5 contact 2. H is a transformer having its primarywinding connected to a suitable source of alternating current and withone side of its secondary grounded and adapted to energize the line l2through the instrumentality otthe relay i3, and the switch or key i l isfor the purpose of testing the soundness of the lamps connected betweenthe line i2 and the battery l5 through the medium of the condensers H8,ii] and MB. A single battery or a plurality of batteries may be used.

Coming now to the mode of operation, the contact 2 offers a path toground for the current from the battery it through the medium of contact5 of the relay 3. This current energizes the copper sleeve electromagnetoi the relay 5 closing the contacts l1 and la. The closing of ll offersa path to ground for the currentfrom the battery i9 energizing the relay20 with the result that the relay 20 closes its contacts 2| and 22, thelast of which closes a circuit for the bell 8.

Going back to relay i, the above mentioned closing of the contact isoffers a path to ground for the current from-the battery 23, energizingthe relay 3, the latter attracting its armature and closing contacts 30,3i and 24 and opening contact ii. The effect of the opening of contactii is to disconnect the starting relay 5 from its initial energizingcircuit. Since, however, the electromagnet of the relay 4 is providedwitha copper sleeve, in spite of its being disconnected it will continueto hold its armature attracted for the requisite amount of time neededto effect the operation of the relays connected with it, as' well knownin the art. 40

Another effect of the attraction of the armature of the relay 3 is tooffer a path through contact 30 to ground for the current from thebattery 25 lighting the master alarm lamp 1. I

We have now seen that the contact 2' will set in operation the alarmbell 8 and light the alarm lamp 1 whether the contact 2 is closedmomentarily or for a period of time. Returning now to the contact 3! ofthe relay 3 which as aforesaid had also been operated by relay 3, one ofthe effects is to offer through the medium of the individual reset keyl0 another path to ground for the current from the battery 23, insteadof the former which had been interrupted by the release of relay 4, thuskeeping the lamp 1 lighted.

Another of the efl'ects of the attraction of the armature of the relay 3is to ofler a path to for the current from the battery 15 throughcontact 24 lighting another signal lamp 6, whose additional function ishereafter to be described.

Returning now to the relay 20 the closing of contact 2| ofiers throughthe medium of the reset key 9 another path to ground for the currentfrom the battery 19 instead seen that relay 20 looks itself to groundthrough its armature contact 2| and key 9, and that relay 3 locks itselfto ground through its contact 3! and key contact I0.

Having indicated that the currents energizing the relays 3 and 20 andkeeping the lamps 6 and 1 lighted and the bell 8 ringing had beenbrought under the control of the keys i0 and 9 respectively, thefunction of these keys is, when depoints of the system under operation.these circumstances it have an individual signal for each of thesecritical points. This is the function of the lamps 6, 26, 21; etc., eachof which is connected to an individual relay such as 3 or 3. Theremainder of the apparatus described including the pilot alarm lamp 1,the electric bell 8, the relay 20, the reset keys 8 and i0 may be commonto the whole system. The key ll, the relay 1 3, the battery 29 and thetransformer II are also common to the whole. system. Their function willnow be described.

Should it happen that the bell 8 rings and the pilot lamp 1 lights, butall of the signal lamps 6, 26, 21, etc. remain dark indicating that thelamp associated with the source of trouble is defective,

to discover which of the former which had ticular embodiment of would beadvisable to and the closing of the contacts 128 and I21, thuspermitting the line l2 to be energized from the secondary winding of thetransformer ii whose one side is grounded. Since the line 28 feeding thelamps 6, 28, 21, etc. is also grounded through the battery I5 theclosing of the contacts I26 and from the batteries acting in the system.

While I have illustrated and described a immy invention, it is to beunderstood that I do not wish to be limited by the particular structuredescribed and illustrated,

but aim to cover all such changes and modifiestions as come within thespirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby United States Letters Patent is: I

1. A signaling system including signaling devices, a source of directcurrent, means for se lectively connecting said direct current to saidsignaling devices to operate the same, a plurality of condensers, eachin series with one of said signaling devices, a source of alternatingcurrent, and means including a single switch and lead for connectingsaid source of alternating current to said signaling devices throughsaid condensers to determine whether or not said signaling devices areoperative.

2. A signaling system including signaling devices, a source of directcurrent, means for individually and selectively connecting said directcurrent through said devices to operate the same, a source ofalternating current, a plurality oi condensers each in series with oneof said signaling devices and said source of alternating current andmeans including a single switch and lead for simultaneously connectingsaid source of alternating current to all of said devices to determinewhether or not said devices are operative.

3. A signaling system including lamps, a source of direct currentadapted to be selectively and individually connected to said lamps tocause the same to slow, a source of alternating current. a plurality ofcondensers each connected in series with one of said lamps and saidsource of alternating current, and means including a single switch andlead for connecting said alternating

